Q: What is DirectX? Do you have a definition?
A: Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies
designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running
and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as
full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio.

Q: What is the latest version of DirectX
A: The latest released version is currently DirectX 9.0c for users of
Microsoft Windows 98, 98Se, Me, 2000, XP, and Server 2003. However,
there has been updates to DirectX 9.0c since, without changing the
version number. The latest version of
DirectX for Windows 95 users is 8.0a.

Q: When was DirectX 9.0c released?
A: DirectX 9.0c was released on August 4, 2004. However, the latest
update to DirectX 9.0c was in August, 2006.

Q: When was DirectX 9.0b released?
A: DirectX 9.0b was released on July 1, 2003.

Q: What version of DirectX does
Windows Vista use?
A: DirectX 10.

Q: What version of DirectX does
Windows Server 2003 use?
A: You can use the latest version for this OS. However, DX 8.1 comes
standard.

Q: What is new in DirectX 9?
A: "There are many new and exciting features in all of the DirectX
components.

The SDK has added a new member to its core technology called Managed
DirectX, a DirectPlay port for the PocketPC, a High Level Shader
Language for D3DX, and Windows XP parity on downlevel operating systems
for DirectShow and the DirectX audio APIs.

DirectShow also has a new Video Mixing Renderer (VMR9) which uses D3D9
surfaces and always renders video through the 3D pipeline, along with
new and exciting samples.

The generic Windows Media Format SDK stub library (wmstub.lib) available
in previous beta releases has been removed. DirectShow samples using
this stub library have been reverted to the DirectX 8.1 behavior of
displaying a warning to obtain the stub separately, and the readme.txt
files have also been reverted with information on the process to obtain
the stub."

Q: What is new specifically in
DirectX 9.0c?DirectX 9.0 includes security
and performance updates, along with many new features across all
technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX
9.0 APIs.

Q: When was DirectX 9 released?
A: DirectX 9 was released on December 19, 2002.

Q: What was new in DirectX 8.0b?
A: DirectX 8.0b was for developers. However, DirectX 8.1 now supersedes
the 8.0b version. This version contains bug fixes contained D3DX dynamic library which
was included in the DirectX 8 release. There are over 25 bug fixes in 10
files. The bug fixes effect core, tex, mesh, effects and samples. If
you'd like to view the release notes for Dx8b to see the full list of
bug fixes, visit this page: http://www.activewin.com/articles/2001/dx8b.shtml

Q: What will the next version of
DirectX be called?
A: DirectX 10.

Q: What will be new in DirectX 9.0c?
A: Not much. There will be some fixes for Shader 3.0, which is already
in DirectX 9.0b.

Q: When will DirectX 10 be released?
A: With the launch of Windows Vista.

Q: Will there also be a SDK update
coming?
A: Microsoft has release bi-monthly SDK updates since the release of
DirectX 9.0c. The latest was in August 2006. That SDK contains DirectX 9
as well as DirectX 10 inromation.

Q: What will be included in that?
A: Check out the full list of the new SDK features,
here.

Q: What was new in DirectX 8.0a?
A: DirectX 8.0a contains updates for issues with international installs
on Windows 2000 and issues where input devices could have buttons
disabled that were enabled with previous DirectX releases. There are no
other changes.

Q: When was DirectX 9.0a released?
A: DirectX 9.0a was released on May 19th, 2003.

Q: What day was DirectX 8.1
released?
A: DirectX 8.1 was released November 8, 2001.

Q: What day was DirectX 8 released?
A: DirectX 8 was released November 9, 2000.

Q: What day was DirectX 8.0a released?
A: DirectX 8 was released January 24, 2001.

Q: What day was DirectX 8.0b released?
A: DirectX 8 was released April 12, 2001.

Q: Do I need to install DirectX 9.0c
or the latest updates to 9.0c?
A: If you already have a previous version of DirectX 9 installed,
installing the latest update is probably not necessary unless a game
specifically calls for it.

Q. What features are available with DirectX
9?
A: Click here for the
full list.

Q: I thought that a DirectX Icon would appear in my
control panel - what has happened to it?
A: The DirectX Control Panel is only included in the SDK versions of
DirectX.

Q: How much does DirectX cost?
A: Nothing! It's free.

Q: What is the DirectX SDK?
A: The Microsoft® DirectX® 9 Software
Development Kit (SDK) contains the tools needed to build cutting-edge,
media-rich, interactive applications. It includes the run-time, headers
and libs, sample executables, sample source, documentation, DirectX
utilities, and support for both C++ and Visual Basic® development.

Q: Will new versions of DirectX affect
older games?
A: No, as each new version of DirectX is backwards compatible with older
versions.

Q: Will Windows 2000
users finally be able to update to each new version of DirectX as they
are released?
A: Yes - all future versions of DirectX will install onto Windows 2000.

Q: Does DirectX have a role with Xbox?
A: Yes, all DirectX technologies had played a role in the
development of the Xbox both through Microsoft and NVIDIA. Microsoft's
set of low-level APIs for game development and multimedia purposes,
DirectX, was used as a basis for the Xbox.

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